How To Get Things Done When You Are Not Feeling Your Best

We all have those days–whether it is just one or a season full of them–where we just don’t feel 100%. Either we are physically under the weather or mentally. But life doesn’t stop–things need to get done. Here is how to get things done when you are not feeling your best.

This list was inspired when I recently faced my own health crisis. Perimenopause has left me struggling with increased feelings of anxiety and there are days I wake up that I just can’t function the way I usually do. I am learning that it is okay! I can take things at a slower pace and follow my advice below and things will still get done.

Getting Things Done When You Are Not Feeling Your Best

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1. Accept You Won’t Be Able To Do It All

Chances are even when you are in excellent health you still can’t do everything on your list. So now that you are not feeling well, be even more kind to yourself and acknowledge that this isn’t the time to push through, this is the time to make focusing on getting well the top priority and everything else after that.

2. Do A Brain Dump

In my current anxiety struggle brain dumps are turning out to be my weapon against panicking about all I have to do. There is just something about writing all the to dos swirling in my head that makes me calm. You would think looking at a big list full of to-dos would be overwhelming, but strangely it puts things in perspective.

Try it. Grab a pad of paper and a pen and write out all those things your mind is nagging you to get done. Now take a look at that list and do steps 3 to 8 with it. I promise you that once you do, you will feel like a weight was lifted off your shoulders.

3. Prioritize

Take a look at your list, what really has to be done today? What can wait until tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Or perhaps it doesn’t have to be done at all or as often? We women are pretty hard on ourselves sometimes and we take on things that really don’t matter in the long run. I am talking to you ladies that iron undies and dust the ceiling fan daily (yep, I know women that do both of these things).

4. Delegate

Take another look through your list, what tasks could you give to other household members either permanently or just while you are not feeling well. Older children are sometimes capable of much more than we let them do. Husbands are often just waiting for us to ask for help, simply because they are not really sure how to help unless we ask.

5. Outsource

Now your budget might stop you from doing this step, but even if you are on a tight budget, you might be able to outsource a few things for little cost. For instance, if you have Amazon Prime, use it to order those birthday gifts you need and have them on your doorstep within two days (if you don’t have Amazon Prime, they offer a free 30-day trial). Need more than a few dry food items, cleaners, or personal products? Try boxed.com. If your order is over $49, shipping is free. Select Walmarts offer free grocery pickup for orders of $30 or more and they even load the car for you.

For those of you with more wiggle room in your budget, here are a few more things you can outsource:

6. Downsize

This step takes an “it will do” mentality. What on your list could you get away with doing less? For instance, perhaps you promised cookies for your children’s class this week and you had plans to do homemade cookies. Downsize that idea and put store bought ones on your Walmart pickup list. Perhaps you planned to send snail mail invites to an upcoming event you are hosting–get on Facebook and create an “event” page instead or send a copy and paste email to everyone. In the grand scheme of things, no one is going to care and if they know you are not feeling your best, they are going to understand.

7. Think Small

With what is left on your list, see if you can break it down to bite size pieces you can attack as energy allows. Think about what you can get done in 30-minute chunks of time. If you feel up to another 30 minutes, great, but if after 30 minutes you need a nap–go for it.

8. Put Self Care First On The To Do List

Speaking of taking nap breaks make sure your to-do list has doing what you need to do to get better written at the top of it. Whether that is nap often, take antibiotics with breakfast lunch or dinner, get daily exercise, eat well, etc. You are not going to get back to working at your best again if you don’t do what you need to do to get well and stay that way.

When I use these eight tips, I end up with a to-do list that is manageable even though I am not feeling in top condition. It also allows the time I need to get healthy again.